A two-week old seal pub has been given life-saving treatment after being washed up injured on rocks at Dalgety Bay.
The young seal had become separated from its family last month after getting into difficulty during poor weather.
It had become stranded on a remote section of the Fife coastline having sustained a serious would to its upper back.
However, the pup was spotted by medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue who happened to be working on the Firth of Forth at the time.
Officers managed to reach the stranded mammal before bringing it to safety.
Seal suffered a serious injury to its back
The pup, named Sammy by his rescuers, was then handed over to Fife veterinary practice – Vets for Pets Kirkcaldy.
The practice has an ongoing partnership with the marine mammal response charity and assists year-round with treating wildlife rescued off the coast of Fife.
Sammy underwent an hour-long procedure to clean and dress the wound wound before being administered antibiotics.
As he was underweight, Sammy was then taken to the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) wildlife centre in Alloa for rehabilitation before being released back into the wild this week.
Emergency rescue
Dawn Mackie, Practice Manager and Head Registered Veterinary Nurse at the Kirkcaldy practice said: “Thanks to the combined hard work of our experienced team, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue medics and SSPCA, we were not just able to save Sammy from a potentially life-threatening situation, but also to release him safely back into the wild to rejoin his family.
“The case is testament to the strength of our long-standing relationship with both organisations, which helps to protect a range of marine mammals along the coastline of Fife.
“My advice to anyone who comes across a seal or other marine mammal in distress is not to approach as they can be dangerous, especially when they’re in distress.
“Instead, they should contact the coastguard or an organisation like British Divers Marine Life Rescue as quickly as possible.
“They can then assist and provide the specialist care these animals require.”
